The Phoenix Born (A Dance of Dragons #3) Page 8

  Running a hand gently over Firestorm's scales, Rhen mounted his dragon. And then he bowed down, offering Jinji his hand.

  "You know you want to…"

  She pursed her lips, glancing to Janu already settled in the stone cage, then back to Rhen on top of his dragon. There was no choice to make. She gripped his fingers, smiling with wicked excitement, and let him pull her up. Firestorm purred beneath them, ready for flight. And Rhen didn't want to deny him any longer.

  His wings extended, one, two, three, and they were in the air. Jinji squealed with delight, wrapping her arms tightly around Rhen's chest, holding on tight. She buried her face in his back, and he could just imagine her with her eyes closed tight, not wanting to watch the ground grow smaller and smaller beneath them. He twisted his neck, straining to see her, but all he saw was the water dragon behind him, carrying the stone cage in her claws. Leena, he noticed, held no fear, just like him. Her eyes were wide, bright with exhilaration as her dragon flew higher and higher.

  "Jin," he shouted over the wind. "Open your eyes."

  "How do you know they're closed?" she mumbled, barely audible.

  Rhen wished she could see his challenging expression. But alas, his words would have to do. "Because I know you better than you know yourself. And I remember the hours we spent on the crow's nest, our time on the tallest tower in the castle of Rayfort. It's no secret that heights aren't your friend. But you don't have to be afraid, not with me."

  She moved against his back. Slow. Cautious. But he knew the exact moment that she finally looked because her whole body jerked, and she let out a gasp of surprise. He glanced down, wanting to see what she saw.

  A blanket of flames covered the air beneath the dragon, translucent as the wind broke them apart, turned them to smoke in less than a second. And through the fire, the ground was visible below. Trees came and went. A house appeared every so often. The ground moved so fast, it was almost hard to tell if they flew forward or it flew backward. And in front, an endless blue sky, waiting to be explored, only broken up by the occasional cloud.

  "It's beautiful," she shouted, voice changing from nervous to thrilled. "I think I like this even better than the ship. Definitely better than the back of your horse."

  "Want to have some real fun?" he called back.

  Immediately, her arm muscles tensed, tightening. "Rhen…"

  He didn't say anything.

  "Rhen."

  A second later, they dove toward the ground as she screamed threats in his ears—threats he very well knew she could carry out. Firestorm ignored her, sensing the same thing Rhen did—secretly, she enjoyed the rush. The dragon pulled even with the ground, so close Firestorm could touch the grass with his claws if he wanted to. And then he pulled up, flying high again. Jinji's scream turned to a laugh then a shout of joy. The sound just encouraged Firestorm. He twisted in the air, flipping them upside down and back again, soaring in wide circles, playful. Jinji held on tight the entire time, resting her chin on Rhen's shoulder, not closing her eyes once.

  Up here, with Jinji's arms wrapped around him, it was easy to forget the real reason they were traveling, the real reason for the dragons. Rhen pushed all the doubts, all the fears from his mind. And judging by the light laughter trickling into his ears, Jinji had allowed herself to forget as well. But they needed this. They both deserved this. The world couldn't be dark all the time. Even in the direst of situations, they needed humor. They needed fun.

  But all too soon, a city appeared on the horizon.

  Fayfall.

  Jinji sighed, a sound that sent a shiver down Rhen's spine, bringing them both back to reality. It was time to get to work.

  "What do you want me to do?" he asked, mirth gone from his voice.

  "Let's make an entrance," Jinji answered.

  Rhen guided Firestorm up, hidden behind the clouds overhead until they reached the outer limits of the city.

  "Are you ready?" he asked.

  Jinji nodded into his shoulder. It was all the affirmation he needed. Rhen led Firestorm down in a sweeping arc, circling the castle at the center of the town, and on his command, the dragon roared, blasting a furnace of flames into the air, obscuring the sky in fire. The screams of the townspeople were a clear enough sign they had definitely been noticed. Firestorm landed in the center of the main road, just outside the castle gate. The guards standing in front of that gate ran in terror.

  Overhead, another roar caught Rhen's attention. Leena dove down to follow them, sending a blizzard of snow in her wake, covering the ground in a blanket of white. Not quite as menacing, but Rhen suspected that against an enemy, that roar would contain ice shards instead of fluffy snowflakes.

  They waited for a few moments to see if the gate would open in welcome.

  It didn't.

  Jinji released Rhen, slipping from Firestorm's back. Janu exited the cage she had woven for him, and it disappeared from sight as he stepped to his sister's side. A few seconds later, with one wave of Jinji's palm, the gate blocking the way through the castle's defensive wall disappeared. Behind it, men were waiting with swords. Those disappeared too. And the arrows, shot from the crevices along the wall's upper edge, paused in midair before falling uselessly to the cobblestone road.

  "We would speak with the Lord of Fayfall, if someone would be so kind as to show us the way?" Jinji said calmly.

  The men looked at her as though she were insane. And then one of them jumped into motion, running backward toward the castle behind. A few minutes later, he reappeared, completely out of breath and ushered them in his direction.

  Rhen and Leena slid from their dragons' backs, releasing them to soar through the air once more. As a group, all four of them walked toward the gesturing man and through the front door.

  Dark—that was the first thing Rhen thought of the castle. The brown stones hardly reflected any light, and the windows were made of stained glass. Beautiful, but not practical, leaving most of the hall shrouded in shadows. The throne room was much of the same, surrounded in color but filled with little sunshine. Rhen ached to be outdoors once more.

  "What is the meaning of this?" a man called, sounding more like a petulant child than a ruler. He was wearing the plum robes of Fayfall with a golden belt cinched around his waist, dripping with precious stones. On either side, a row of men holding violet shields stood at the ready to protect him. But he was barely older than Rhen, hardly old enough for a lordship.

  "Are you the Lord of Fayfall?" Jinji asked.

  "I am his youngest son, Aidar. My father and my elder brother are leading a rebellion against you, Son of Whyl." He glanced at Rhen pointedly, puffing his chest out triumphantly. And prematurely, Rhen noted wryly. "I am ruling until they return."

  Jinji stepped forward, forcing Rhen to resist the urge to slap the pompous idiot right in the nose. "Your father has lost that war, as you will learn soon enough, and has agreed to aid us on our quest. So you will help me and do as I ask, whether you would like to or not."

  Naturally, the man chose not.

  Rhen sat back and watched Jinji work, quite enjoying the show as she used her powers to hold a knife to his neck, working the same threats she had used in the castle of Rayfort the day before. The weather changed at her command. She called forth a vision of the phantom armies. And when all of that still didn't work against the arrogant fool, drunk on the power he never should have had in the first place, Jinji did something truly inspired. A geyser of water opened up on the floor beneath his throne, tossing Aidar high into the air, soaking him and sending him into a heap at their feet. Then she reached down, clutched the top of his shirt, and pulled him close.

  "Unless you would next like to find yourself dressed as a little girl with pigtails in her hair, I suggest you begin to do as I say."

  Vain as he was, the threat worked better than anything else would. Aidar stumbled to his feet, trying his best to straighten the jacket still dripping with water, unable to regain even a shred of dignity. With all the co
nfidence he could muster, he turned to one of the guards.

  "Take them to the caves at once," he ordered, voice gruff and begrudging. "See to it that their every command is obeyed."

  Rhen made a mental note to let Whyllem know that Fayfall might not return to the kingdom as willingly as the others had, not if this idiot was still in control. But he kept his mouth shut as they followed two Fayfall guards out of the throne room—he didn’t want to make anything harder for Jinji than it already was. Though he couldn't help but notice the little smirk on her face as they left. At least a part of her, no matter how small, enjoyed putting the man in his place.

  Once outside, they entered two separate coaches—Jinji and her brother in one, Leena and Rhen in another—and were given no trouble as the guards drove them from the center of the city. No more than twenty minutes later, they arrived at an entrance to the caves.

  "Follow me," the guard murmured, gesturing to the side.

  He led them to a wooden platform suspended over a dark hole in the ground. Not quite the image of safety, but the man stepped on first to show them it was not a trick. They joined him while the second guard remained to the side, slowly turning a wheel.

  A pulley, Rhen realized as the wooden platform beneath their feet began to lower into the ground. The grass changed to dirt, which then changed to rock the lower they traveled. The sun grew dimmer the more they sank. Soon all of their faces were hooded with shadows, and the world became nearly too dark to see. The tunnel was narrow and claustrophobic until they reached a spot where a great cavern opened. Suddenly, they were surrounded by light.

  Jinji gasped.

  Rhen grinned.

  "The silkworms of Fayfall," he murmured, more to himself, but immediately he knew the others were listening. He had heard the stories of course, but seeing them with his own eyes was a different thing entirely. The ceiling glowed deep indigo with the light of a thousand silky strands, and at the base of each was a little pulsing worm, pearlescent, as though made from the teardrops of the moon. The room sparkled with silver starlight, glistening against a lustrous sapphire backdrop, as though the world had been flipped upside down, and an iridescent sea waited overhead.

  "How?" Jinji asked, awestruck, unable to take her eyes off the scene.

  Rhen glanced over, unable to take his eyes off her and the beaming smile alighting her face with wonder. "These silkworms, they are only found here in the caves beneath Fayfall. There are others in different parts of the kingdom that live on plants, but the best garments are made from these strands. I'm not sure how it works, but they're breathtaking."

  The wooden platform landed hard against the floor, jerking them all from their reverie.

  "I can explain it to you," the guard said, "but it seemed you were on a mission of rather urgent importance."

  Jinji sighed, sparing one more glance at the cavern overhead. "No, you're right. Please, lead us to where the men are working, and I will do the rest."

  For the next hour and a half, they walked. Caverns appeared and disappeared overhead. Caves narrowed into tight tunnels then opened into wide roadways. Rivers of water slid between the rocks, twisting in and out of sight. The light of the silkworms mixed with the yellow glow of torches. And through it all, Jinji remained focused, pausing at each and every man they saw. Some held picks, digging at the wall, opening more caves unnaturally, searching for jewels. Others stood on ladders, harvesting the silk, readying it for transportation out of the caves to be worked into cloth. Still more did jobs Rhen couldn't readily identify.

  Twice Jinji stopped, each time pulling a man from his work and telling him to follow quietly behind. One was a large hulk of a man, wider even than Rhen, taller too. The other was a mere boy, hardly fifteen, skin and bones. They couldn't be more different. But Rhen was sure they shared one similarity—earth spirit affinities. One would wake the next dragon, he was certain of it.

  The third time Jinji stopped, it was by an exit. The sun filtered in, barely visible through a minute hole at the top of a very long shaft. And waiting at the base of that opening was another wooden platform, ready to carry them up. Jinji motioned for everyone to get onto the platform and then pulled the two men aside, a little distance away, speaking to them privately.

  Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to shake.

  The world trembled.

  Dread filled Rhen's stomach. He pushed the Fayfall guard aside, shoving the man over, struggling to keep his balance as the world quaked, shifting below his feet.

  "Jin!" he screamed, jumping off the platform, desperately trying to reach her.

  Jinji looked over. A thunderous crack filled the cavern—the unmistakable roar of rock breaking free. She broke their gaze, head shooting up. Rhen followed her eyes, watching helpless as a monstrous boulder fell into view.

  7

  JINJI

  ~ FAYFALL ~

  Jinji winced as horror filled Rhen's gaze.

  I'm sorry, she thought, hating herself for putting him through this, but it was the only test she could think of in the moment. There were two earth affinities, and somehow she needed to narrow it down to one. And it needed to look real.

  So Jinji wove an illusion. The ground really quaked. The rock truly shifted beneath their feet, making it difficult for even her to maintain balance. But the boulder currently falling toward her head was utterly fake, no matter how heavy and menacing it might appear. And if she had convinced Rhen, then the two men by her side had to be deceived as well.

  Jinji didn't move.

  Instead, she waited.

  As the giant rock dropped precariously close, she felt hands push her hard in the arm, shoving her aside, out of the way and to safety. A moment later, the illusion of the rock slammed into the ground, deafeningly loud, utterly realistic.

  Another man lay on the ground next to her—the tall, broad man. He had flung himself aside the moment the boulder slipped loose. He had chosen to save himself first. Understandable. But not the hero Jinji was looking for.

  Standing slowly, she brushed her bottom off, noting it was a little sore from the fall. With the wave of her hand, the boulder crushing the ground below disappeared, and standing right at its center, completely unharmed, was the boy who sacrificed himself to save her.

  "An illusion," Rhen muttered behind her back, breathing a sigh of relief.

  Jinji turned, meeting his gaze. "A test."

  And then she shifted her regard to the man by her feet, only now lifting his large body from the ground. Confusion filled his eyes, but he said nothing, waiting for her to speak. To the outside observer, he probably appeared to be the more likely hero. Tall and muscular, fearsome to behold. But Jinji was far more concerned with the intentions in someone's heart. Though the earth spirits circled his figure, he was not the rider they needed.

  "You may go," Jinji said, dismissing him. "Return to your work. I thank you for your time."

  He waited a moment longer then shook his head and left.

  Jinji turned to the boy standing a few yards away, face awash with relief. He was younger than she was, and she felt almost sorry for the weight she was about to place on his shoulders. But there was no time to doubt her choices. Even now, the shadow might notice how close they were to waking the next dragon. And if he did, it was only a matter of time before the men in this cave would attack, white-eyed and with one goal possessing their thoughts—to kill the next rider.

  "What is your name?" she asked.

  He cleared his throat. "Branson," he spoke quietly, overwhelmed. "But people usually just call me Bran."

  "You saved my life, Bran," Jinji said, stepping closer. He clasped his hands before his waist, wringing his fingers with an aura of self-consciousness, but he held her gaze. "You've never met me, but your first instinct was to push me out of harm's way. Why?"

  He shrugged his shoulders, bending his whole body inward, glancing at all the eyes now focused on him. "Just seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

  Jinji
smiled. "I know this doesn't make sense to you right now, but you've been chosen for a greater destiny than you could have ever dreamed. There is a dragon, a creature of myth and legend, waiting for you to wake it. If you choose to do so, you will become its rider. There is a war coming, and if you accept this responsibility, you can help us save the world."

  "A dragon?" he muttered, laughing airily, glancing at the group as though each and every one of them were crazy. When no one laughed with him, when no one broke his or her earnest gaze, Bran swallowed loudly, gulping the disbelief back down. "I have a ma and a sister who need me. My pa is gone, and they survive off the money I bring them."

  Jinji glanced at the guard. "Find his family and bring them to the castle. Tell the Lord of Fayfall they are to be treated as his guests and will live with him, wanting for nothing until this man returns to bring them home. Is that understood?"

  The guard nodded. "Yes, my lady."

  She turned back to the boy. "Is that all? Will you accept my offer? Will you join us, Bran?"

  He scrunched his brows, glancing around once more. "I'm still not sure I believe you. But if you say you need me, say the world needs me, I guess I have no choice but to accept."

  "Come then."

  Jinji took him gently by the arm, leading him toward the platform. At the guard's signal, the pulley began carrying them up and out of the caves. When they reached the top, Jinji took a good look at the newest member of their team. The hair she had thought was brown was truly platinum blond, stained with the mud and grime of the cave. In the light of the day, she realized Bran was taller than Rhen, but narrow and thin, making him appear smaller and younger than he really was. His blue eyes were kind and gentle, filled with awe as he stared up at the sky, at the dragons soaring toward them. A captivated grin widened his cheeks, filling his face with excitement.

  He'll do, she thought, satisfied. A gut instinct told her this was the right decision, that this was the earth rider she was meant to find, the perfect addition to their motley crew.